I spent a lot of time guiding within Kachemak Bay Wilderness park this summer, perhaps even more than years past. I have mixed feeling about this and have been wanting to share about this for a while. I remain deeply thankful for the grace and beauty of our beloved Mother Gaia and the amazing gift to share my love and appreciation of Her with others. And at the same time I witnessed a growing imbalance that needs addressing. This summer I saw more people than ever recreating in our sacred wilderness park. And more bears and wildlife interfacing with human visitors. Personally I had at least 15 bear encounters while guiding that were each amicable because we were respectful and listened. Yet I heard about and witnessed the affects of encounters that were not respectful and saw lasting implications on the wildlife and land here. In a time when our human population is growing exponentially and encroaching on wild habitats, it is ever more vital to listen to and respect the sovereignty of these sacred lands around us. We are in uncharted territory here, never before have we had such a high human population. It is refreshing that many want to reconnect to the land, I find hope in that. And I do believe that we can interface with our wilderness areas in a way that is respectful and amicable and does not interfere with the freedom of the wilds within. It is my prayer and hope that we find our way to relations with our sacred Mother Gaia that support and honor Her sovereignty as our own.
Much love,
Trish